Do you believe this? A bowl game is now the expectation. I don't expect 8 wins every season. The reason people were down on last season was the way we ended the season. Not the fact we only had 8 wins.
Mullen said 8 wins are average now at MSU?...
- Thread starter dawgstudent
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Do you believe this? A bowl game is now the expectation. I don't expect 8 wins every season. The reason people were down on last season was the way we ended the season. Not the fact we only had 8 wins.
I think a bowl game is the expectation, not necessarily the number of wins. I agree 100% on last years record, it wasn't the losses that hurt, but the way we lost; as opposed to 2011, in which we won fewer games, but we dominated our rival, and didn't lose a game we shouldn't have and we never gave up. The Auburn game hurt quite a bit, emotionally at least, but the refs certainly didn't do us any favors in that game; i.e., the 4th and short, and the pylon TD by Vick.
In Mullen's Career here, we've averaged 7.25 wins a year
That's actually pretty close to 8. Croom averaged 4.2, Jackie just over 6.
That's actually pretty close to 8. Croom averaged 4.2, Jackie just over 6.
A bowl game is the expectation not 8 wins. I'd like to know how the question that got that answer was asked. Was it "what are the exoectations at MSU?" or did he just volunteer that answer?
If you are a long time State fan you take a bowl game every year, really enjoy those rare 9 or more win seasons and have patients if a 5-7 year rolls through. We go to enough bowl games over a 10 year span that may change but a bowl game at Miss State is something you never thumb your nose at.
I'm all for my coach having higher expectations than I do. The opposite would be a problem.
If you are a long time State fan you take a bowl game every year, really enjoy those rare 9 or more win seasons and have patients if a 5-7 year rolls through. We go to enough bowl games over a 10 year span that may change but a bowl game at Miss State is something you never thumb your nose at.
I'm all for my coach having higher expectations than I do. The opposite would be a problem.
Wouldn't have been the way I would have said it. He's now set the bar at 8 wins and anything other than that would be "below average" in his own words. I think he was just getting testy like he always seems to do when he gets criticized by the press. Like the time he almost walked out of the room when he got questioned about an injured player's status.
I'm guessing the phrasing was
"How do you feel about your fans being disappointed with an 8 win season" or some such.
"How do you feel about your fans being disappointed with an 8 win season" or some such.
Here you go:
How do you combat the perception that Ole Miss is a program on the rise and that yours isn’t?
Dan Mullen: I think the fact that we still played a New Year’s Day, that’s the amazing thing at Mississippi State. We played a New Year’s Day bowl game, we averaging eight wins a year and we still had a better record than they did. And perception really isn’t reality for us. Our program is right where we want it to be in the fact that we are consistently winning football games. What I love is the perception around Mississippi State’s changed and the expectations have changed. Now an eight-win season at Mississippi State, which used to be one of the best you can have, is kind of considered average. That’s really what I like.
http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/...scenter-8-wins-now-considered-average-at-msu/
How do you combat the perception that Ole Miss is a program on the rise and that yours isn’t?
Dan Mullen: I think the fact that we still played a New Year’s Day, that’s the amazing thing at Mississippi State. We played a New Year’s Day bowl game, we averaging eight wins a year and we still had a better record than they did. And perception really isn’t reality for us. Our program is right where we want it to be in the fact that we are consistently winning football games. What I love is the perception around Mississippi State’s changed and the expectations have changed. Now an eight-win season at Mississippi State, which used to be one of the best you can have, is kind of considered average. That’s really what I like.
http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/...scenter-8-wins-now-considered-average-at-msu/
I'm hoping that eventually we make that South Carolina jump to consistently winning at least 8. Of course we need to find ourselves a Clowney, a Lattimore, and an Alshon Jeffery for that to happen.
I understand him saying that, but I will be ecstatic with 8-4 this year. That probably means we win 2 out of OSU, Auburn, and LSU, finally win in Arkansas, and take back The Egg.
I understand him saying that, but I will be ecstatic with 8-4 this year. That probably means we win 2 out of OSU, Auburn, and LSU, finally win in Arkansas, and take back The Egg.
If you look at it
From a slightly different angle, I think it proves Mullen's statement true. If he said at his hiring presser he would win 5,9,7,& 8, everyone would have taken it and been excited. There is no doubt Mullen has changed the attitude of our program. We've gone from "maroon is all that matters" to "get to a bowl or GTFO"
From a slightly different angle, I think it proves Mullen's statement true. If he said at his hiring presser he would win 5,9,7,& 8, everyone would have taken it and been excited. There is no doubt Mullen has changed the attitude of our program. We've gone from "maroon is all that matters" to "get to a bowl or GTFO"
No doubt he has changed expectations of our program. Just what exactly is expected is what I wanted to discuss.
I will probably be disappointed with fewer than 8 wins overall, honestly. That would mean we a) won only 6 regular season games, b) lost a bowl game to a team we're likely more talented than, c) both or d) didn't go bowling.
At this stage, our expectation should be higher than simply a bowl game. That's not to say I'll be outraged if we go 6-6 or anything like that, but it would be a disappointment.
At this stage, our expectation should be higher than simply a bowl game. That's not to say I'll be outraged if we go 6-6 or anything like that, but it would be a disappointment.
Depends on schedule. Last year when we had an easy out of conference schedule and the worst teams from the east - anything less than 8 wins would have been disappointing. This year with Ok State and South Carolina I'll be thrilled with 6 or 7.
Easy schedule: I expect 8-9 wins. Tough schedule: I'm happy with any bowl game.
Easy schedule: I expect 8-9 wins. Tough schedule: I'm happy with any bowl game.
Based on DM's tenure thus far we average 7.25 wins per season.....
Reminds me of the story about a young waiter who was asked by a customer what his average tip was. The waiter thought a minute and said, " I would say my average tip is about two dollars". The customer said OK, paid his bill and left two bucks on the counter. The customer saw surprise on the waiter's face and so he said to him, " What's the matter? I thought you said your average tip was two dollars?. To which the waiter replied, "Yes sir it is but you see so far you are the only person who has ever come up to the average!"
Hopefully we will 'come up to the average' this season!
Reminds me of the story about a young waiter who was asked by a customer what his average tip was. The waiter thought a minute and said, " I would say my average tip is about two dollars". The customer said OK, paid his bill and left two bucks on the counter. The customer saw surprise on the waiter's face and so he said to him, " What's the matter? I thought you said your average tip was two dollars?. To which the waiter replied, "Yes sir it is but you see so far you are the only person who has ever come up to the average!"
Hopefully we will 'come up to the average' this season!
My problem with last season was not the finish....
...but the fact that we did not beat a single good team. The same holds true for 2011. If there is any lack of excitement in the program, it's that Mullen has not proven that he can pull an upset. Lately, when we have faced teams closed to our level, we've had a hard time staying on the field with them. To me, a seven or even six win season this year would be much more exciting than 8 last year, because to get to 7, we will likely have to beat somebody.
Jackie had some terrible years, but you always knew that he could pull a big upset or stay with a big boy football team. My lack of excitement with Mullen right now is because he has not proven that he can do this.
...but the fact that we did not beat a single good team. The same holds true for 2011. If there is any lack of excitement in the program, it's that Mullen has not proven that he can pull an upset. Lately, when we have faced teams closed to our level, we've had a hard time staying on the field with them. To me, a seven or even six win season this year would be much more exciting than 8 last year, because to get to 7, we will likely have to beat somebody.
Jackie had some terrible years, but you always knew that he could pull a big upset or stay with a big boy football team. My lack of excitement with Mullen right now is because he has not proven that he can do this.
With a bowl win, yes. We will probably be favored in most 7-5 bowls we play in so that win is expected. Like 61 said 7-5 is a norm for us, as long as we keep the DS approved scheduling, unlike this year. We should win 4 non conference, hopefully one of our east and two of our West. These are our expectations now, but the landscape can always change. Remember there was a time, not long ago that the East was considered the powerhouse and the West was just average. In two years OM, Ark, and Aub may be beast again, then I'll be praying for six wins. But in my mind, as a State fan in 2013, 8 wins, counting a bowl win, is average. Wow it even felt weird typing it.
I disagree with him that an 8 win season is considered average even though that's what he has "averaged" winning each year. Like another posted said an 8 win season this year would mean way more than our 8 wins meant last year.
It's nice to generalize when you are selling your program but like someone else also said... If we beat quality teams that has more of an impact than who we beat. We didn't beat anyone with a pulse last year. Those 8 didn't have a lot of weight to them.
8 win season is above average at state in my opinion.
Hail State
It's nice to generalize when you are selling your program but like someone else also said... If we beat quality teams that has more of an impact than who we beat. We didn't beat anyone with a pulse last year. Those 8 didn't have a lot of weight to them.
8 win season is above average at state in my opinion.
Hail State
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If DM would have said 8 wins is "expected" rather than "average, then yes I would agree......as in we expect to contend for 8 wins each season. Average.....not so much. Average depends on the sample size you are averaging. Considering all of the FBS D1 schools, going to a bowl game is above average. On the other hand, since we live in the SEC-West, 8 wins probably means you aren't contending for the SECCG. So, yeah, if we are wanting our program to be in a position to challenge for the SECW title each year, 8 wins better be average. Are we there now....well, no.
Depend on the schedule for us I think. This year is tough when you get difficult eastern division opponents, and an OSU playing well. If he keeps getting 15-20 ranked recruiting classes, and continues to selectively redshirt then we can consistently play with tenn, USC, Auburn, Arky, aTm (without an anomaly like manziel). I am of the opinion that roughly 85% of high school seniors can't be ready for first year SEC west ball. We need to keep good coordinators, and position coaches. It's tough to keep them when they do well (brewster). The defense was unacceptable last year with the seasoned talent we had. We haven't always had players that could compete at the level we need to win in the west. We had enough talent last year overall. The only place the talent wasn't up to par was wr and maybe ol. DL was not coached properly or scheme was asinine.
I would be content with 7 wins this year if we play hard, and have a chance in the 4th in the tough ones (aTm, LSU, and Bama). I can't stand the lay down games like aTm, Bama, OMU last year. Compete till the final whistle to have a shot in the 4th. Win the home games, and play tough on the road to have a chance. 8 wins per is a good spot to aim for, for us that is attainable right now then there is a next tier.
I would be content with 7 wins this year if we play hard, and have a chance in the 4th in the tough ones (aTm, LSU, and Bama). I can't stand the lay down games like aTm, Bama, OMU last year. Compete till the final whistle to have a shot in the 4th. Win the home games, and play tough on the road to have a chance. 8 wins per is a good spot to aim for, for us that is attainable right now then there is a next tier.
"Thrilled with 6 or 7 wins"-after his 5th season? Not me, but I agree that's probably all we can expect. We've missed out on too many good recruits to do too much better.
So we should expect a down year when the best QB in MSU history is a Senior?
Hell No, why shouldn't we expect a better season than last year.
It's time for Mullen to beat a Top 20 team, pull off a real upset.
Do you Believe?
Hell No, why shouldn't we expect a better season than last year.
It's time for Mullen to beat a Top 20 team, pull off a real upset.
Do you Believe?
My hope is to own the State and eventually win the championship. With that in mind, my expectation is for Mullen to move us to the 4th place position in the SECW. This would be a great indication that we are on a upward projection. 1-3 will always have a shot at the title. The 4th place SECW team will spoil that dream for one of them.
Expecting 8 wins in yr 5, even with this schedule, is not a stretch...
If we had any type of fight or Wilson had been abducted last year, we easily win one of last two, and most likely the last 2 games, putting us at 10 wins. We had the talent last year to win 10 games. Think about that. How many MSU teams have had that type of talent, no matter who was on the schedule. That being said, while the SEC and SECWest have the most combined talent in their history. The only thing Mullen has not done is upset a top team. That will come in time, but you pussies who think the sky is falling because of the end of last year need to schedule your OBGYN appointments.
Why shouldn't we win 8 games this year? In our 4 OOC's we will be highly favored in 3 of them and IMO evenly matched up against the other (but having advantage by it being 1st game and we have SEC size/speed combination. Big12 does not have a defense that compares to SEC except maybe Oklahoma.) We should beat Auburn, Arkansas, Kentucky, and OM this year (based on experience, 2 teams being in transition, and OM blowing their load last year, and being brought back to earth this year and not playing way above their talent level). Possibly lose one of those along the way (Most likely Ark since its week after Bama). LSU is young and inexperienced this year, although they always have talent. We get them at home, and the last 3 have been close at home, even with Mini Lee at QB (We have much more depth and talent this year than any of those previous teams). The only two long shot wins I see on schedule are A&M and Bama. The next toughest is LSU, so that puts us at 9 wins if we win the ones we should win, 8 if we screw up one of the other 9. Unless we lose half the team to gangrene, 6 wins should be the absolute bottom of regular season wins this year and logically 10 wins is the ceiling. So where does that leave the average expectation of wins? Eight? 8?
Why such the negativity? Yes the way we finished the season ****** last year, but we got rid of the biggest problem on last years team. Without one person we finish with 9 or 10 wins and everybody is thinking we have a shot to finish top 3 in West this year. We lost a few guys on Defense to NFL but the way we schemed defensively last year basically wasted their talents, so it was almost as if we were playing with two regular SEC cornerbacks. Our best interior defensive players are returning, and just about every offensive player. Why can't we win 8 games this year? I expect it. With the way last season ended, it should have motivated the returning players to work that much harder and play with a chip on their shoulders this year. All of these things, combined with media thinking we will suck, should be enough motivation for players and coaches alike, if our players and coaches have the mentality that we have seen them to have prior to 2012.
And I just read Mullen's comments. Pretty sure he meant that the Coaches, Players, People around the program and university and fans are no longer satisfied with 8 wins. So if fans are no longer ecstatic for 8 wins, it means that 8 wins are now the expected normal season.
If we had any type of fight or Wilson had been abducted last year, we easily win one of last two, and most likely the last 2 games, putting us at 10 wins. We had the talent last year to win 10 games. Think about that. How many MSU teams have had that type of talent, no matter who was on the schedule. That being said, while the SEC and SECWest have the most combined talent in their history. The only thing Mullen has not done is upset a top team. That will come in time, but you pussies who think the sky is falling because of the end of last year need to schedule your OBGYN appointments.
Why shouldn't we win 8 games this year? In our 4 OOC's we will be highly favored in 3 of them and IMO evenly matched up against the other (but having advantage by it being 1st game and we have SEC size/speed combination. Big12 does not have a defense that compares to SEC except maybe Oklahoma.) We should beat Auburn, Arkansas, Kentucky, and OM this year (based on experience, 2 teams being in transition, and OM blowing their load last year, and being brought back to earth this year and not playing way above their talent level). Possibly lose one of those along the way (Most likely Ark since its week after Bama). LSU is young and inexperienced this year, although they always have talent. We get them at home, and the last 3 have been close at home, even with Mini Lee at QB (We have much more depth and talent this year than any of those previous teams). The only two long shot wins I see on schedule are A&M and Bama. The next toughest is LSU, so that puts us at 9 wins if we win the ones we should win, 8 if we screw up one of the other 9. Unless we lose half the team to gangrene, 6 wins should be the absolute bottom of regular season wins this year and logically 10 wins is the ceiling. So where does that leave the average expectation of wins? Eight? 8?
Why such the negativity? Yes the way we finished the season ****** last year, but we got rid of the biggest problem on last years team. Without one person we finish with 9 or 10 wins and everybody is thinking we have a shot to finish top 3 in West this year. We lost a few guys on Defense to NFL but the way we schemed defensively last year basically wasted their talents, so it was almost as if we were playing with two regular SEC cornerbacks. Our best interior defensive players are returning, and just about every offensive player. Why can't we win 8 games this year? I expect it. With the way last season ended, it should have motivated the returning players to work that much harder and play with a chip on their shoulders this year. All of these things, combined with media thinking we will suck, should be enough motivation for players and coaches alike, if our players and coaches have the mentality that we have seen them to have prior to 2012.
And I just read Mullen's comments. Pretty sure he meant that the Coaches, Players, People around the program and university and fans are no longer satisfied with 8 wins. So if fans are no longer ecstatic for 8 wins, it means that 8 wins are now the expected normal season.
Unless something changes, I expect us to average 8 wins moving forward. We should schedule 4 OOC wins. In the West, we have UM, which is basically even par with us as far as resources. Arkansas and Auburn are on the level ahead of us. LSU and Bama are on a different level. A&M is either on the Arkansas and Auburn level or the move to the SEC has put them on par with LSU and Bama. We basically need to be two out of the first three consistently. In the East, we have UK as a permanent, and we should be a step ahead of them as a program, so we should beat them consistently. That should get us to 6 or 7 wins on average out of our OOC and permanent SEC opponents. Out of the east, you also have Vandy who we historically should be able to stay ahead of as a program (although if Franklin stays long term they could be a lot tougher). We have Mizzou and UT, both of which historically should be better than us, but I'm not sure they get back to that position. I would expect them to be weaker than Auburn and Arkansas going forward. Then you have USCe, which is a better program but still not a Bama or LSU.
We should be able to average 8 wins including a bowl game and get above 7 without it. This is the last year where I think 6 wins is ok. Mullen is still paying for his early recruiting mistakes and add in the OKSt. and surprise USCe appearance on the schedule, it will be understandable that we struggle. But after this, Mullen's "good" recruiting classes will be established in the program, and he will need to show that he has figured out recruiting well enough to consistently finish in the 6th through 8th position in the SEC. There will still be years where a particularly tough schedule or bad luck with injuries make us work, but there should also be years where we benefit from the schedule or from other teams misfortunes.
I shouldn't have said "thrilled" --- more like satisfied with 6-7 wins.
But I will be thrilled if we win the games we should, beat UM, and upset one of the big boys. Depending on how the season plays out that could happen with as little as 8 wins.
But I will be thrilled if we win the games we should, beat UM, and upset one of the big boys. Depending on how the season plays out that could happen with as little as 8 wins.
I look at it totally ... 180 degrees 'different' ...
To 'average' 8 wins a season, for every time you have a less than 8 win season, you also have to have one with more than 8 wins* And, it absolutely does not depend on what sample size you have.
*(consider ... for every 7 win season, we need a 9 win season ... for every 6 win season, we get a 10 win season. Heaven forbid Dan ever have a 4 win season in there 'cause we would need to have 12.5 win season too)
To 'average' 8 wins a season, for every time you have a less than 8 win season, you also have to have one with more than 8 wins* And, it absolutely does not depend on what sample size you have.
*(consider ... for every 7 win season, we need a 9 win season ... for every 6 win season, we get a 10 win season. Heaven forbid Dan ever have a 4 win season in there 'cause we would need to have 12.5 win season too)